Rosary Key

ABSTRACT

The rosary key is a one-piece, hand-held device to prompt the recitation of the rosary. Critical elements of the traditional rosary pendent are evoked by tactile design. The counting of a decade of Hail Marys is measured by the finger movement of a bead-like button through the ten “stops” of the channel. The “Our Father” or Lord&#39;s Prayer, preceding each decade, is recited while fingering a separate rotating bead. Fingering of button and bead serve to preserve the essential contemplative nature of traditional rosary use. Furthermore, the rotating bead, in independent function, prompts use as a pocket or keychain comfort/prayer object, meditative through repetitive fingering alone.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to rosaries and counting devices and moreparticularly to a one-piece, hand-held rosary that includes a cut-outchannel with a movable indicator to prompt recitation of the ten HailMarys for each rosary decade.

2. Background Art

Typically, a rosary consists of strung beads arranged to promptrecitation of an ordered series of prayers in honor of the BlessedVirgin Mary. The crown string consists of five groupings of ten smallbeads (five decades) separated from each other by an isolated largerbead, to a total of 54 beads. Each decade of ten smaller beads promptsthe repetitious recitation of ten Hail Mary prayers. The larger beadlocated between each of the five decades prompts the praying of theLords' Prayer prior to the recitation of the next decade.

Hanging from the crown string of beads is a single string of objectsthat form what is known as the rosary pendant. The pendant prompts aseparate sequence of prayers that precedes the praying of decades uponthe crown string. The pendant is generally attached by a three-pointmedal junction, upon which a religious image is often depicted. At thedistant end of the pendant string, a cross or crucifix is affixed,prompting the recitation of the “Sign of the Cross” and the Apostles'Creed. A large bead then prompts the recitation of the Lord's Prayer orOur Father, followed by three smaller beads to prompt three Hail Maryprayers, leading to a final larger bead prompting The Lord's Prayer orOur Father.

Rosary devotees have long sought an alternative to the traditionalrosary that would (1) retain the aesthetic beauty of the traditionalstring rosary, (2) include prompts to the prayers of the rosary pendant,(3) facilitate the counting of the decades, and (4) while being moreconvenient and discrete for everyday use yet (5) still preserving theessential tactile meditative experience associated with the use oftraditional rosary beads.

None of the prior art mentioned below achieves the unique combination ofthe above-mentioned qualities that this invention embodies. For example,U.S. Pat. No. D459,567 represents the entire rosary in a sequence ofprotuberances on a standard size card. These protuberances are verysmall and require visual guidance which limits its use in low lighting,while held in a pocket or when the user is engaged in a competing visualactivity, such as driving. U.S. Pat. No. D491,834 has a single decade ofprotuberance around the outer surface of a ring, but omits pendantprayers. In addition, this invention also requires visual guidance andno record is made of where the user's position is if they areinterrupted from prayer. U.S. Pat. No. D446,902 is a rectangular shapewith a rosary imprinted on the front of the device. It requirescontinual visual guidance.

A larger ring-style device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,374,949, counts prayers bymanually advancing a rotating ring of beads encased within the device.However, the addition of numerous other mechanical movements and visualelements would render it too small to be manipulated easily anduncomfortable for use on the finger.

A rosary bracelet in U.S. Pat. No. D446,146 counts the decade on strungbeads omitting the prayers of the pendant. Since it is a beadedbracelet, its use engages both hands, is less likely to be worn by aman, presents an overt expression of religiosity, and fails to respondto the changing daily fashion needs of many women.

Buckley U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,098 is a steering wheel cover that positionsprotuberances upon the steering wheel to prompt the ordered pray of therosary by either hand while driving. This invention is specifically usedonly when driving.

There are several electronic and mechanical devices which have beenpatented. They include Dewolf electro-mechanical device U.S. Pat. No.4,365,246, Wexler battery-powered rosary device U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,519B2, Bosmani box-shaped microprocessor device U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,622,and Santarpia US 2002/0162237 A1 which is a plastic card-shaped rosarywith thin petal-shaped projecting tabs on the circumference of aninternal rotating disk that are advanced manually to track prayers. TheMcGovern patent, US 2002/0164566 A1, required the push of a button toratchet an internal lever that raises a variety of geometrically-shapedobjects on the surface that the user is taught to associate with thevarious prayers. The Corigliano design patent Des. 266,369 is anabacus-like rosary where the prayers can be recorded by the manualmanipulation of numerous beads freely strung along three horizontalmetal bars. These electronic and mechanical rosary devices differ fromthe current invention in that they have electronic triggers, tabs andbuttons which are poor substitutes for the traditional meditativefingering of beads In addition, none of the inventions are of a size orconstruction to be conveniently carried on a key-chain or in a pocket.

The above mentioned prior art either omits prayer of the rosary pendant,requires two-handed operation or continual visual guidance, has novisual or aesthetic similarity to a traditional rosary, is of a sizeinconvenient for daily use, fails to mark one's position if interruptedin use, or fails to simulate the comforting fingering-of-bead experiencefor devotees. The present invention includes all of these features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION)

A rosary key provides for an attractive, comprehensive (including theprayers of the rosary pendant), functional, convenient, discrete andmeditative way to recite the rosary. It has an artistically-shapedobject with a jewelry-like appearance. It has external markings thatevoke an image of a traditional strung rosary and pendant. The inventionprompts prayers of both rosary pendant and crown string. It countsprayers by the continuous contact of thumb upon a rounded, movableindicator to advance it through the ten decade stops of a nine segmentcut-out channel in single-hand use with no visual guidance, whileretaining one's counting place if interrupted. The invention is flat,key-sized and contoured to be comfortably and conveniently prayed uponwhile on a key chain, in hand, or held in pocket meeting many devotee'sdesire for the constant comfort of a rosary without the overt display ofreligiosity that, though within legal rights, may be deemed contrary tothe conventions of an organization, professional or social setting.Finally, the invention retains the actual “rolling or fingering” ofrounded maker and bead that preserves the meditative quality beloved byexperienced rosary enthusiasts.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forcounting prayers by using a movable indicator to advance it through theten stops of a nine segment cut-out channel in one hand with no visualguidance, while preserving one's counting place if interrupted.

Another object of the present invention is to enable a person todiscretely pray in any setting because the invention can fit onto a keychain or into a pocket.

Yet another object of the present invention is to retain the actual“rolling or fingering” of the indicator and bead that preserves themeditative quality of a traditional rosary.

A primary advantage of the present invention is that it is small enoughto fit on a key chain or in a pocket.

Another advantage is cut-out channel and indicator that allow the userto roll or finger the indicator and retain the “place” if interrupted.

Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it isartistically shaped with a jewelry-like appearance.

Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope ofapplicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in thedetailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, and in part will become apparent to those skilledin the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned bypractice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the inventionmay be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities andcombinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated into and forms a part ofthe specification, illustrates the preferred embodiments of the presentinvention and, together with the description, serves to explain theprinciples of the invention. The drawing is only for the purpose ofillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and is not to beconstrued as limiting the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the rosary key, while attached to a key chain.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUTTHE INVENTION)

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 isattached to a key ring 10 through the cutout 11 at the bottom of theinvention. In use, it is preferably held in the palm of a user with thebottom toward the wrist. The front view has the abstract impression of atraditional pendant and single-decade crown rosary seen by representedof the elements upon the surface of the device.

The rosary key preferably consists of a single flat piece. The rosarykey can be made of metal, wood, leather, plastic or any other solidmaterial. Die cut from the invention are the openings for key ring 11,cross 12, rotating bead hole 20 and cut-out channel 16. Four concaveprotrusions are stamped from the back of the device, 13, 22, 23 and 24,representing the rosary pendant, as previously described. In anotheralternative embodiment, protrusions 13, 22, 23 and 24 and rotating bead50 can be represented by beads, apertures or some other object that canbe felt by a user's fingers that are moving along the rosary key.Additionally, cross 12 can be represented by a protrusion in the shapeof a cross or an object attached to the rosary key in the shape of across.

Cut-out channel 16 consists of nine connected segments. Eight junctions28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 together with two end locations 26 and44 create the series of ten “stops” in the movement of movable indicator51, upon which a decade of prayers can be counted. Cut-out channel 16has “stops” 52 to maintain the position of the moveable indicator 51until the user wants to go to the next position. Stops 52 can beindentations as shown or any other means of keeping moveable indicator51 in position for a period of time. This way, the user is reminded ofwhere they are in the ten decades of prayer, if they are interrupted.

Rotating bead 50 is a hollowed bead strung on a horizontal axis.Rotating bead 50 protrudes on both front and back surfaces of theinvention allowing rotating bead 50 to be fingered by thumb and fingeror rotated on the front surface by thumb alone. Rotating bead 50 canalternatively be represented by a bead, protrusion or other object thatcan be felt by a user's fingers that are moving along the rosary key.

In its primary application, the user initiates the use of the rosary keyby placing it in the palm of his hand. Placing his thumb first upon thecutout cross 12 prompts the recitation of the Apostle's Creed. Uponcompletion of this prayer, the thumb moves upward to protrusion 13prompting the recitation of The Lord's Prayer. Continuing upward, thethumb advances to each of the protrusions 22, 23 and 24 reciting theHail Mary prayer upon each bead. The thumb then moves to rotating bead50 where The Lord's Prayer is recited.

At this point, the user then makes thumb contact with movable indicator51. The user then initiates the praying of the decade of prayers withthe recitation of a Hail Mary in initial position 26. After recitation,movable indicator 51 is advanced using the thumb to the next position 28of cut-out channel 16. With continuous thumb contact upon movableindicator 51, the user continues in the same descending direction,stopping to recite a Hail Mary upon each of eight junctures 28, 30, 32,34, 36, 38, 40, 42 until the end of the cut-out channel 16 reaches thelast position 44 for the recitation of and the tenth Hail Mary tocomplete the decade of prayer is completed.

A subsequent decade can be initiated by moving the thumb to rotatingbead 50 for the recitation of The Lord's prayer, and the repetition andcounting of ten Hail Mary prayers through the ten stops using movableindicator 51 in the reverse or ascending direction of cut-out channel16. In this manner, multiple decades can be recited in alternatingchannel direction eliminating superfluous transposition of the movableindicator to the previous starting position.

The extended recitation of the rosary (five series of decades throughfour series of mysteries) may be completed upon the rosary key. In thisapplication, the “Glory Be to the Father” and specific mystery to bemeditated upon would be announced by user prior to the recitation of theLord's Prayer upon rotating bead 50 that precedes each decade of tenHail Marys. In an alternate embodiment, an additional tactile or visualaide could be included to assist in the counting of multiple decades.

Although the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achievethe same results. Variations and modifications of the present inventionwill be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. Theentire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, andpublications cited above, are hereby incorporated by reference.

1. A single-piece hand-held rosary key comprising: at least one movableindicator and at least ten junctures wherein said moveable indicator isconfigured to be moved by a user's fingers moving from one juncture toanother, at each said juncture the movable indicator indicates whatposition the user is in, wherein each of said junctures represents aHail Mary prayer.
 2. A rosary as stated in claim 1 further comprising asmall rotating object to recite the Lord's Prayer or other meditativeprayer.
 3. A rosary as stated in claim 1 further comprising a crossshape to recite the Apostles' Creed.
 4. A rosary as stated in claim 1further comprising four separate objects for the Lord's prayer and HailMarys.
 5. A rosary as stated in claim 1 further comprising means toattach said rosary key to a key chain.
 6. A method for using a rosarykey comprising the steps of: providing a moveable indicator and tenjunctures, each juncture representing a Hail Mary prayer; and moving themovable indicator from a first juncture to a next juncture.